Next message: (no name): "Re: T&T: CAT 3208NA Post Script"
In a message dated 4/28/2007 9:00:53 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
writes:
Were looking a t boat which has Caterpillar 3208 NA engines. What is the
advice of the list on this type of engine? It is vintage 1999 -2000.
David Sorenson
Duluth, MN
Boatdiesel.com has a forum with hundreds of entries on the 3208; there are
many thousands of these engines around; the consensus seems to be that 3208NA
[normally aspirated, no turbos] engines last forever. You will hear that
3208's are "throw away engines"; that the cylinders cannot be sleeved. Goes on and
on; the engines are no longer built; but the parts are everywhere and the
engines can be rebuilt; the blocks can also be sleeved; you can still by a long
block from Cat; engine hours, and maintenance, are the key to longevity; no
engine likes heat; you won't be able to find the number on the boat you are
looking at but Caterpillar says they should be rebuilt after you run 30,000
gallons of fuel through them; this is why the NA engines last so long; 5
gallons per hour is 6000 hours; 10 gallons is 3000 hours, roughly; I think these
engines are rated at around 210-220 HP without turbos. 5 gallons per hour is
around 100 HP our of the engine; 10 gallons is around 200 HP. All other things
being equal a 3208NA with good maintenance should go 5000 hours.
I have 3208TA's at 435 HP; this is bad news for me; the last really reliable
HP for the 3208 TA is considered to be 375HP; I have to be careful to not
run mine too hard or I'll be cutting their lives. On the other hand; I could
get 2000 hours at an average of 15 GPH per engine which would be taking 300HP
out of the engine on a continual basis; this just doesn't happen; there's all
the low speed coming and going from the slip; I will run at 15GPH per engine
on the runs from San Diego to Catalina a couple of times a year; but the trips
from San Diego to Cabo are at less than 7GPH per engine.
I have thought about all this a lot; I think I'm pretty accurate in these
admitted generalizations. JWH
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